Okay, well I've been an atheist for most of my life.  Grew up in New York City, where I still live.  I WAS a choir boy at the Church of the Transfiguration, otherwise known as "The Little Church Around the Corner".  (Made slightly famous when Kurt Vonnegut was refused permission to marry there because he had been married already.  He wrote a piece about what a backwards church it was for an Episcopalian parish.)  I also went to Trinity School thru 4th grade, which had chapel once a week as I recall.  In addition, for some weird reason, I was sent to a Catholic summer camp for two years where they had chapel and communion every day but I wasn't allowed to partake since I was baptized a protestant. (I made my own "body of jesus" with the white bread in the mess hall and tried to sell it to other kids as the "new and improved" body of jesus.  Always the entrepreneur!)  I also remember a babysitter who claimed to speak in tongues.  (What is that, Babtist?)

Despite all this, I DON'T consider my upbringing particularly religious.  We're talking about New York City in the late 70's and early 80's.  Liberal UpperWest side family.  Not exactly the bible belt.  My parents were atheist, but they were "12 Steppers".  (Meaning they were in AA.) Which IS in fact quasi-religious, but it's pretty light.  (There are atheist wings of AA now I hear.)

My Atheism was solidified on 9/11.  It's a wonder that war torn countries turn to religion.  I understand it on one level, but to me it was like, "Whoa!  I never thought the universe made much sense.  It always seemed random to me, slightly evil overall, benign at best.  But now that I've glimpsed hell on earth, it's pretty obvious that there is absolutely no one driving this thing."  

I mean, it always use to annoy me when people said shit like "Everything happens for a reason."   What the fuck?  (WTF for the youngun's out there.)  9/11 had a reason?  Tidal waves had a reason?  The holocust?  Aids?  War?  etc. etc.  

I have this new-age aunt who use to say shit like "well, if you're not where you want to be in life, then on some level you didn't want to be there.  Is that too heavy for you?"  No.  It's too stupid.

Don't get me wrong.  I actually DO believe that your subconcious can effect how you behave, which can in turn effect how you life goes.  Somewhat.  But it's not for any fucking 'REASON'.  If you're on the Titanic it doesn't mean you "wanted" to be there on some "level".  That shit bugs me more than the evangelicals and the muslims.  At least they have a fucking book their reading.  They're just not informed enough to know that it's all complete lies.

Anyway, more about me, right?  I still live in the Big Apple.  I run my own creative media, production and post production companies for the advertising industry.  Got into that by working on music videos when I was younger.  (MTV use to stand for Music Television kids!)  I use to be in bands and play guitar.  Not so much now but I still love music.  Wilco, MGMT, Walter Meego, Vampire Weekend (I know they get a lot of shit but I like them!)  a great Canadian band called Sloan, Miles Davis, Connie Converse (obscure 40's and 50's songwriter, 70's era Stones, everything by the Beatles, Dylan, but more when other people sing his songs, Elvis Costello, (best living song writer), Loney Dear, 70's Stevie Wonder, Black Sabbath when I'm in the mood.

If you made it this far I should reward you by revealing some of my deep dark secrets.  My politics are liberal, I love squash and floss regularly.  What else do you want to know?